- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
GOAT Rank · 37
Greatest Athletes from South Africa
This ranking is led by Chad le Clos, Jacques Kallis and Caster Semenya. GOAT Rank currently ranks 37 eligible athletes from South Africa using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Quick answer
According to GOAT Rank's current model, Chad le Clos ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 85.2.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1995–2014
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1999–2014
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1995–2008
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2004–2019
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–2024
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2007–2023
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1996–2012
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2004–2021
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1991–2003
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1972–1994
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2000–2021
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2009–2023
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2007–2023
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2004–2021
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1995–2011
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1989–2004
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1952–1963
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1996–2010
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1956–1974
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1921–1933
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1924–1935
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1983–1993
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2013–2022
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1993–2015
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 72.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 1936–1975
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 1953–2009
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 87.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 1990–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 1989–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Formula 1
- Career
- 1972–1980
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 1999–2020
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 70.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Golf
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 70.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 72.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 419 | Chad le Clos | Swimming | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2008–active | 85.2 |
| 562 | Jacques Kallis | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1995–2014 | 84.2 |
| 657 | Caster Semenya | Athletics | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2008–active | 83.7 |
| 692 | Graeme Smith | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1999–2014 | 83.5 |
| 694 | Marizanne Kapp | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2009–active | 83.5 |
| 760 | Shaun Pollock | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1995–2008 | 83.1 |
| 771 | Hashim Amla | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2004–2019 | 83.1 |
| 799 | Wayde van Niekerk | Athletics | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2010–active | 82.9 |
| 813 | Tatjana Smith | Swimming | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2016–2024 | 82.9 |
| 853 | Shabnim Ismail | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2007–2023 | 82.7 |
| 1016 | Mark Boucher | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1996–2012 | 81.9 |
| 1034 | Dale Steyn | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2004–2021 | 81.8 |
| 1048 | Allan Donald | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1991–2003 | 81.8 |
| 1052 | Jimmy Cook | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1972–1994 | 81.8 |
| 1075 | Laura Wolvaardt | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2016–active | 81.6 |
| 1188 | Roland Schoeman | Swimming | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2000–2021 | 81.0 |
| 1234 | Dane van Niekerk | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2009–2023 | 80.7 |
| 1318 | Mignon du Preez | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2007–2023 | 80.3 |
| 1442 | AB de Villiers | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2004–2021 | 79.6 |
| 1602 | Makhaya Ntini | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1995–2011 | 78.9 |
| 1693 | Josia Thugwane | Athletics | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1989–2004 | 78.5 |
| 1748 | Neil Adcock | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1952–1963 | 78.2 |
| 1783 | Herschelle Gibbs | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1996–2010 | 78.0 |
| 1917 | Colin Bland | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1956–1974 | 77.5 |
| 2078 | Bob Catterall | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1921–1933 | 76.9 |
| 2293 | Jock Cameron | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1924–1935 | 76.0 |
| 2395 | Zola Budd | Athletics | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1983–1993 | 75.6 |
| 2466 | Lizelle Lee | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2013–2022 | 75.3 |
| 2505 | Dale Benkenstein | Cricket | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1993–2015 | 75.2 |
| 2791 | Bobby Locke | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1936–1975 | 73.7 |
| 3005 | Gary Player | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1953–2009 | 72.2 |
| 3195 | Retief Goosen | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1990–active | 70.2 |
| 3475 | Ernie Els | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1989–active | 67.0 |
| 3589 | Jody Scheckter | Formula 1 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1972–1980 | 65.8 |
| 3670 | Louis Oosthuizen | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2002–active | 64.9 |
| 3759 | Trevor Immelman | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1999–2020 | 64.1 |
| 3805 | Charl Schwartzel | Golf | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2002–active | 63.6 |
Compare the leaders
Chad le Clos vs Jacques KallisRead the full methodology
Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.
Read the full methodologyFrequently asked questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Who is included?
According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.
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